The AGBU AVC Artificial Intelligence (AI) program is continuing to grow and expand its reach in Armenia. In the 2023-2024 academic year, more than 80 students from 5 educational institutions have been learning AI and Machine Learning through interactive multimedia lessons.

The aim of the AI program is to equip high school students in Armenia with the essential knowledge and skills to understand the fundamental concepts of AI and its real-world applications. It provides students with an opportunity to pursue further studies in the field of AI, preparing them for future job opportunities.

The program is a joint effort by AGBU Silicon Valley, Armenian "Union of Information and Communication Technologies Employers'' (UEICT), Synopsys Foundation, Synopsys Armenia (Educational Department), and AGBU AVC.

It is a unique program offered in a hybrid mode, which combines the benefits of online learning with traditional classroom education. It is designed to foster hands-on learning through engaging projects and group activities.

The schools that benefited from this year’s AI program include Mkhitar Sebastatsi Educational Complex, Yerevan High School N112, Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin’s Eurnekian School, Yerevan State University STEM High School and a group of students from public schools in Gyumri.

AGBU AVC is also resuming its partnership with “Moonq” TechnoSchool from Artsakh, now relocated to Armenia.

The lessons are moderated by AGBU AVC AI experts Mher Yerznkanyan and Gohar Zaprosyan, who not only instruct the students but also conduct regular meetings and provide supervision for their projects in collaboration with the on-site classroom teacher.

The classes cover a broad range of topics from the history of Artificial Intelligence to the technical nuances of the Python program.

This year, many students have already successfully completed the first level of the program. Final projects are one of the core components of the program, where students work in groups to brainstorm, implement their newly-acquired knowledge into hands-on projects and present the final outcome, all the while developing their communication and collaboration skills. After that, the course concludes with final exams.

In the rapidly evolving era of global technological changes, such programs in Armenia stand as a beacon of progress, equipping students with the skills necessary to navigate and shape the digital future in Armenia. By integrating AI education into the broader STEM curriculum, AGBU AVC strives to empower a new generation of thinkers who can address the complex challenges of our time.